1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to a soluble human retrovirus HIV-1 glycoprotein gp41 trimer to help understand the detailed entry mechanism of the virus into a host cell, and as a candidate for development of HIV-1 vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.
2. Related Art
Although the basic pathway of HIV-1 entry has been established, the detailed mechanism that involves a series of initial interactions between the virus and host cell receptors, extracellular glycoprotein gp120 and transmembrane glycoprotein gp41 as well as their intermediates, is poorly understood. Thus, design of gp41 recombinants that mimic key intermediates is essential to elucidate the mechanism as well as to develop potent therapeutics and vaccines. Standard approaches to produce such recombinants have not been successful because of the extreme hydrophobicity of gp41. The present application overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art as described herein.